Carol Campbell
In the summer of 2019, Carol Campbell was on holiday, driving through Ontario, when her phone rang. The call was from Calgary, and Cindy Stephenson, Coordinator of Volunteers, was on the line. “Grace was looking for people to help out in the pastoral care area.” Grace was holding a meeting in the fall to inform volunteers on what the role required: would she like to attend? Carol was interested.
Training to equip and empower
The ministers put together skits and scenarios to help the volunteers learn ow to reach out, build relationships, and handle issues or complications. “I was very impressed with how organized they were,” she said. “There was a very good orientation.” Initially, Carol was concerned as she travels a great deal and was not sure how that would work, but the program was very flexible. She decided to see how she could help out.
Getting started
After orientation, each volunteer was provided with a list of four homebound people to handle. At first, Carol wasn’t sure what to do or bring. On the first visits, she brought little things like flowers or magazines, but found that really people needed company and connection most, as their other needs were already met. What each person needs for connection is “quite varied,” Carol says. Two people requested visits of once a month or so, and she keeps in touch with the other two through phone calls and people’s family members. “They are very appreciative of connection,” she says. During COVID-19, all connection is by phone and she finds people are “rather philosophical about it.”
Visits are gratifying for all
Carol enjoys chatting and visiting with people. “They certainly seem very grateful when we talk to them,” she says. She lets them know that people care about and miss them. “It’s very gratifying because people are appreciative and it broadens your horizons, as you get a closer look than most people do of what life is like for the homebound.” Carol lets them know that the Grace community is keeping them in mind to let them know people care for and are concerned about them, that they are missed at church, and offer help to see if there is anything the church can do. “I know I am representing the Church Family.”
What gifts do people need to be a homebound volunteer?
“You need compassion for these people,” Carol says. “A desire to brighten their day.” Carol says her role helps bring the outside in to people. Some receive a mail out bulletin, others are interested in hearing the news about church from her. “We talk about everything under the sun,” she says. Some people’s favourite thing to do is visit Starbucks and sit and drink coffee. “I enjoy keeping the connection with them ,” Carol says. “We’re talking, talking, talking and then we wind down, and they say ‘thank you so so much for chatting’.”
For those who are considering volunteering as a Homebound Visitor
At first, Carol says she was not “sure if she was the right person, as she goes away to Arizona a lot.” However, the ministers assured her that would be totally fine, and when away she keeps in touch with people through phone calls. Finding a flexible role that “fits your lifestyle with no exact schedule” is important, Carol says, as many people are away for months at a time.
Lyndon Nordean
Lyndon Nordean is a hands-on volunteer, who like to take on projects, rather than plan them in a boardroom. He decided to become a pastoral care volunteer because “I like to be involved and enjoy interacting with people.” He volunteers in many areas at Grace, including pastoral care and Sunday school. He is retired, and was a grade 6 teacher for 33 years.
Eight Years as a volunteer in Pastoral Care
Lyndon began volunteering in pastoral care approximately eight years ago. “It seemed to fit with my skill set,” he says. He finds this role requires you to be a “good listener and willing to care about others.” He says pastoral care is a breadth of things: “it belongs to the whole congregation and it is for all ages, from the young to seniors on their own, to the homebound or in nursing homes.” The role means being present for the big things in people’s lives: “the birthdays and anniversaries and what is going well for them as well as tough times.”
The rewards of relationship building
Lyndon says that “once you have developed the relationship with people you get positive feedback from them that you are doing something that helps them out.” Some of the people he connects with are those in care facilities. “They express their appreciation for me coming to see them, keeping them informed. They can’t always get to church so you are their eyes on what is happening. Often they are not computer literate and can’t get information. They ask questions and I do what I can to answer or get the answers for them. That’s a big thing.”
Pastoral Care starts with Elders
Lyndon says pastoral care starts with Elders, “because the church is large and the people with particular strengths could not possibly contact everyone and be aware of needs in a timely fashion.” He is an Elder as well, with 12 people in my district. In this role, he listens and converses with people and if there is a need that is over and above what needs to happen and they need to be referred to a minister, then “I let Christian know someone in is need and he steps in at that point.” The Elder role is “unique to the Presbyterian church with every person being placed in an Elder district. That provides the personal connection to the church and that is the theory behind it: to develop and nurture a personal relationship with each person.”
Connecting during COVID-19
Connection with Elders is very important right now, Lyndon says. “People should realize if they do have needs there are people who care about them and are wanting to connect with them.”
Do you need connection or know someone who does? Call the Grace office at 403-244-5861 or email office@gracecalgary.org. Pastoral Care will be in touch!
